This invention relates to an apparatus for unclogging clogged sewer lines or pipe lines. More particularly, this invention relates to a tool which can be threaded or "snaked" through a pipe having bends and which tool provides at its distal end a clog grappling, or cutting device or a pipe cleaning device including a motor for rotating the cutting or grappling or cleaning device.
It is known in the prior art to provide a sewer cleaning device mounted on skids and pushed through the sewer, wherein the sewer cleaning device has a hydraulic motor, using high pressure water, for rotating and cutting to clean the sewer. Such a device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,631 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,286. It is also known to provide rotating brushes or cutters driven by an electric motor for moving through a pipe for cleaning This is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,497,659, 2,061,864, 508,380, and 4,773,115.
It is also known to provide a grapple hook or cutter or other tool connected to a distal or leading end of a snake or rod wherein the snake or rod is connected to a rotation source outside of the pipe. This rotation source can either be a hand crank or a motor of some sort. In known embodiments the motor or crank must rotate not only the grapple or cutter, but the entire length of the snake or rod which is forced through the pipe. For these embodiments, a coiled snake is generally used for rotation. Because the coiled snake must have sufficient tensile strength for pulling out or retraction, it is generally heavier than a comparably strong flat bar tape. On the other hand, flat bar tapes resist twisting more than coils so are generally not preferred in the known arrangement where ease of rotation of the entire snake and grapple is required.
However, it is novel to provide a small electric motor mounting a grapple hook, cutter, or cleaner the electric motor pushed through the sewer or pipe by a rod or snake. It is also novel to provide a small pneumatically driven motor in place of the electric motor with a pneumatic tube serving the function of supplying compressed air to the pneumatic motor and also acting as the snake or pushing rod to thread the pneumatic motor through the pipe.
By placing the motor or rotator into the pipe a flat bar tape can be used more effectively since it need not rotate and in fact preferably provides resistance to rotation. Flat bar tapes are less expensive and have greater tensile strength for the same weight as coiled snakes.